Aldar unveils luxury residential project in UAE’s Yas Park

Featuring 234 homes with parkland surrounds, Aldar Properties’ Sama Yas is thoughtfully designed to enrich the social and community living experience of its residents.
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Updated 24 January 2024
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Aldar unveils luxury residential project in UAE’s Yas Park

Aldar Properties has announced the launch of Sama Yas, the first collection of exquisite homes that embrace a holistic approach to well-being and offer luxury park living on Yas Island. Set against the serene backdrop of Yas Park, this boutique residential community provides residents with a rare opportunity to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle within nature, with easy access to Yas Island’s world-class leisure and entertainment experiences.

Featuring 234 homes with parkland surrounds, Sama Yas is thoughtfully designed to enrich the social and community living experience of its residents. Culinary mastermind Chef Izu will indulge residents with an exclusive dining experience, which includes a restaurant and deli within the community and a fine dining menu that can be enjoyed at home. The UAE-based chef is behind globally acclaimed culinary experiences including the recently opened Gaia Mayfair in London, Gaia Monte Carlo in Monaco, IZU at Mandarin Oriental in Doha, and Alaya, Shanghai Me, Scalini and Kai Enzo in Dubai.

To further elevate the luxury living experience, Sama Yas will feature a boutique spa, experiential retail spaces, 24/7 concierge, and a lounge. Residents will also enjoy an array of leisure, wellness, and social amenities, including a gym, community gardens, cycling and jogging tracks, outdoor working pods, a library and co-working space, a kids’ play area, a multipurpose room, and a theater room.

The architectural grandeur of Sama Yas was conceptualized by Woods Bagot, while Mustard and Linen’s harmonious blend of artistic and practical design principles create a range of rich and visually captivating interior spaces. Bringing his culinary flair to each home, Chef Izu has inspired the kitchen designs with a thoughtful focus on space, storage, and fine finishings, encouraging residents to experiment with gastronomy from the comfort of their own homes.

Chef Izu said: “This collaboration is truly a meeting of minds, an ongoing discussion of how we can build a kitchen that caters for every moment in life. The flow of energy from the kitchen to the dining space, enhancing every occasion with friends, family and loved ones. I wanted to challenge myself and bring everything I have learned from our restaurants to the home, and I am so excited to see it come to life.”

The community is located on the doorstep of Yas Park, a first-of-its-kind family park in Abu Dhabi, and Sama Yas residents will have direct access to its exciting fitness and leisure amenities, including a grove, picnic area, sports zone, covered sports courts, skate park, bounce park, dog park, mangrove, kids play areas, and a festival lawn.

The community’s prime location also puts residents within cycling distance of Yas Island’s key attractions, such as SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, and Yas Mall. In addition, the development benefits from easy access to major transport links, including Abu Dhabi International Airport and the main highways to Saadiyat Island, downtown Abu Dhabi, and Dubai.

Sama Yas is set to launch on Feb. 2 and comprises three low-rise buildings, which will include one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, two- and three-bedroom duplexes, two- and three-bedroom garden apartments, and penthouses.

The development will aim to achieve the Estidama 3 Pearl rating, LEED Gold certification, and Fitwel certification for the masterplan and will incorporate sustainability measures into its design to reduce energy, water, and waste consumption. Sama Yas will join the growing Aldar portfolio of developments that aim to promote wellness and sustainable living.


More crop per drop: NADEC and EF Polymer deploy breakthrough technology to cut agricultural water use by 40%

Updated 14 January 2026
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More crop per drop: NADEC and EF Polymer deploy breakthrough technology to cut agricultural water use by 40%

Following a strategic technology-scouting framework led by Universal Materials Incubator, the National Agricultural Development Company has entered into a partnership to launch large-scale field trials of EF Polymer, marking a significant step in deploying deep-technology solutions to strengthen the Kingdom’s food and water security.

The collaboration initiates field trials of EF Polymer’s proprietary solution — a 100 percent organic, biodegradable powder that performs like a “soil battery” upcycled from food waste. Engineered to address water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions, the material can absorb up to 50 times its own weight in water and gradually release moisture directly to plant roots. This mechanism has the potential to reduce irrigation water use by up to 40 percent, while enhancing crop yield and long-term agricultural productivity.

Beyond water efficiency, EF Polymer improves nutrient retention by minimizing fertilizer leaching, thereby reducing overall fertilizer requirements. After approximately one year in the soil, the material fully biodegrades into organic carbon, organic matter, and trace nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, and nitrogen — contributing directly to improved soil health and long-term fertility.

The solution is affordable, easy to apply, and suitable for a wide range of crops, making it viable both for individual farmers and for industrial-scale agricultural operations such as NADEC’s. 

EF Polymer has already achieved significant commercial adoption across multiple global markets, including Japan, the US, India and Turkiye, where it is actively used by farmers and agribusiness operators to improve water efficiency, soil health, and crop resilience under varying climatic conditions.

Its organic credentials are certified by OMRI and Ecocert, reinforcing its alignment with sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices.

The stakes for this alliance are high. By 2030, global freshwater demand is projected to exceed supply by 40 percent. In Saudi Arabia, the challenge is localized but intense: the agricultural sector alone consumes approximately 11.4 billion cubic meters of water annually. This partnership underscores NADEC’s commitment to adopting innovative, scalable technologies that conserve natural resources while supporting resilient food systems across the Kingdom.

Mohamed Al-Rajhi, VP of supply chain sector at NADEC, said: “Strategic agriculture today requires a long-term commitment to soil health and resource circularity. NADEC is leading the shift toward regenerative practices that restore our natural capital rather than merely consuming it. By diversifying our crop portfolio and investing in closed-loop nutrient management, we are insulating our operations against global price volatility and environmental shifts.”

“We are aggressively deploying AI-driven irrigation systems and satellite-based crop monitoring to optimize every drop of water and every hectare of land. This strategic pivot toward agri-digitization allows us to mitigate climate risks in real-time while significantly reducing our carbon footprint. Our commitment to sustainability is our greatest competitive advantage, ensuring that NADEC remains the cornerstone of the Middle East’s agri-food sector for decades to come. These trials focus on strategic scalable crops like wheat and olive trees to ensure the future of the Kingdom’s food security is both sustainable and locally rooted,” he added.

Strategic trial milestones:

  • Wheat: Trials have commenced to demonstrate water retention in this water-intensive crop.
  • Olive and blueberry: Specialized testing is scheduled for March to evaluate yield improvements and nutrient efficiency.

This collaboration supports Saudi Vision 2030 goals of reducing non-renewable groundwater use by 90 percent.